Mark Henninger & Ken Blahut11.22 2008
THE ANALOG STUPA
‘The Analog Stupa’
Featuring works from Bonnie Brenda Scott and Michael Gerkovich
Opening Reception December 6, 2008 – 8pm till Midnight
Showing through January 2, 2009 by appointment
Padlock Gallery
1409 Ellsworth Street
Philadelphia, PA 19143
Artists statement:“As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I take a look at my
skateboard and I draw a deep breath. As the Analog Stupa is hovering
there like a pie in the sky or a Checkers brand cheezy fry. You think
you’re safe in the house on the couch eating garbage with your dog and
your dawg and his dog and all. But let us tell you that we came here
from the future just to show a bunch of pictures of rainbows and
pyramids. We’re so impressed that your world is so colorful. It makes
us sad about the Robot Wars of the approaching days. We’re also here to
tell you about a place you can go to avoid the fires and famine and
general discontent of the future shock. Can you dig it?”
Scott and Gerkovich, “We’re married, but we’re Anarchists, so it’s whatever”,
present a collection of works exploring a “spiritual preparation for
the post-modern dust bowl”. Scott’s paintings and ink drawings are
meditatively obsessive and fit perfectly around Gerkovich’s watercolors
and paintings of culturally upset scenarios and personas. The duo will
be presenting together at Padlock, a South Philadelphia’s row
home-cum-gallery, solo works in addition to a collaborative stupa, the
mound like structure typically containing Buddhist relics.
Bonnie Brenda Scott, a member of NEXUS Foundation for
Today’s art and new member to the Chinatown based artist co-op Space
1026, graduated from the University of the Arts in 2006 with a BFA in
film and digital video. When she is not taking care of other people’s
dogs and cats she works relentlessly in her studio. She has shown her
video work, drawings, and prints at the Philadelphia Art Alliance,
Nexus Gallery, Painted Bride Arts Center and My House Gallery- as well
as other art spaces in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Houston, Austin, Palm
Springs and San Francisco. “The Wilderness Society”, Scotts first solo
show of work will be opening February 12th at the Nexus Foundation.
Bonnie lives in South Kensington.
Michael Gerkovich graduated from the University of the Arts
in 2006 with a BFA in film and digital video. Since graduating he has
worked on his family’s sustainable farm in the suburbs of DC while
teaching himself to paint. His paintings have been shown at the Metro
Gallery in Baltimore, the DC Arts Center in Washington DC, and The
Rocket Cat Café in Fishtown. In February, he will be showing work at
the Satellite Café in West Philly. Michael lives in South Kensington.
Padlock Gallery is an ex-living room gallery space housed in a
row home in South Philly. Holding monthly art shows for
Philly-based artists Padlock also hosts screenings, musical
performances, and food events. Started in 2004 over a hundred artists
have shown at Padlock including Alex DaCorte and Andrew Jeffery Wright.
Our landlord is named Frank Rizzo. Current curatorial members are Alina
Josan, Ted Passon, and Mark Price.